RISING FROM HIS GRAVE: Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City address had a strong message: I’m not just here, I’m thriving.
“Even the dark moments are not burials, they are plantings,” Adams said. “Allow you to plant and you will see the fruits of your labor. “Mommy did it and that’s why I’m mayor.”
The first New York City mayor in modern history to face criminal charges wants the world to know that the federal corruption indictment, plummeting poll numbers and the spate of federal raids and mass resignations have not affected his his self-confidence in the least. in case there had been any doubt.
“Don’t let anyone fool you,” he said. “Don’t listen to the noise, don’t listen to the rhetoric. New York City, the state of our city is strong.”
“The ultimate measure of a man or woman is not where they stand in times of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy,” he also said, paraphrasing Martin Luther King Jr. while thanking members of his staff. that I hadn’t done it resigned.
He delivered the hour-long challenge message after a brief 54-minute introduction that included a Christian prayer, a Muslim prayer, a Hindu prayer, a Sikh prayer, a Buddhist prayer, a Jewish prayer, the national anthem, God Bless America, the Black national anthem, two promotional videos, a youth drum performance and some waiting.
The speech, like all state of the city addresses, highlighted achievements: the City of Yes housing plan, the (partial) year-over-year drop in crime, the expansion of early childhood programs and the slowing of the city’s once relentless immigration crisis. .
He also put front and center two priorities for the upcoming legislative session in Albany.
- He loves his fellow Democratic governor Kathy Hochul adopt his version of a bill that would allow chronically homeless people suffering from mental illness to be involuntarily removed from the streets. (She is set to announce her own plan on involuntary expulsions, but has also signaled that she will work with him on it.)
- Needs the Legislature support him in completely eliminating municipal income taxes for families making up to 150 percent of the federal poverty line. The “Ax the Tax” plan has the support of Assemblyman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who praised Adams in a video before the speech. (Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie signaled Wednesday that he might try to end state income taxes for low-income New Yorkers.)
For the city, the mayor unveiled some key proposals:
- he put outside his extremely ambitious plan build 100,000 new homes in Manhattan, although the idea so far lacks some much-needed details. (We wrote about it this morning in New York Playbook.)
- He promised $650 million to combat homelessness, including an installation to serve as a shelter and treatment center for the vulnerable population.
- he is opening school playgrounds as community parks on weekends and summers for more than 10,000 New Yorkers, and is adding more cleaning shifts in city parks.
- he is expanding free internet for low-income households in Upper Manhattan and throughout the Bronx.
- You are adding a financial education teacher in all school districts by 2030.
- You’re paying off student loan debt. for city employees and their families.
- It is allowing rental payments. of thousands of low-income New Yorkers to count on to improve their credit scores.
And he continued to thank Hochul for their friendly relationship, even featuring her in his promotional video.
“There were some who said, ‘Resign,’” Adams said. “I said, ‘No, I’m going to step up. I’m going to take a step forward. That’s what life presents to you.’”
ZELLNOR CODED: Brooklyn state senator and mayoral candidate Zellnor Myrie has been tapped to lead the Senate Codes committee, a timely appointment.
As he prepares for the June primary and begins his seventh year in Albany, Myrie will play a key role in shaping criminal justice policy in Albany as he and his rivals attempt to demonstrate their readiness on the campaign trail.
one october Siena Survey found that likely New York City voters identified crime as their biggest concern. Adams has already signaled that public safety will once again be the crux of his mayoral campaign and that he will likely criticize any center-left opponents in previous votes he sees as soft on crime.
“I am grateful that the leader has entrusted me with the chairmanship of this committee, particularly at a time when public safety is on the minds of all New Yorkers,” Myrie told Playbook. “As someone who is from New York City, who takes our subways and our buses, who talks to neighbors, I can say with confidence that this is an issue that is at the forefront of their minds.”
Myrie most recently led the Elections Committee, and his new position heading Codes, which handles all things criminal justice, has traditionally been seen as the third chair of the Senate’s most powerful committee. However, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who has a frosty relationship with Adams, still wields near-absolute power in the chamber and decides with her leadership which bills make it to the floor.
Sen. Jessica Ramos, another mayoral candidate, will remain chair of the Labor Committee. Zohran Mamdani, the other state lawmaker vying to lead the City Council, was not given a leadership position in the Assembly.
“We are in a moment where people are going to use public safety as a political conversation, and I think there needs to be seriousness and sobriety in the way we talk about real solutions to this problem,” Myrie added, saying that The committee “will be squarely focused on finding real solutions to the city’s problems.” — Jason Beeferman
THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS ARE IN: Beyond Myrie, the Senate and Assembly announced all the other new committee leadership positions today, and that came with a number of changes, our colleague Bill Mahoney reported previously on POLITICO Pro.
The Assembly
- Gary Pretlow will replace the retiring Helene Weinstein as chair of the Ways and Means Committee.
- Carrie Woerner replaces Pretlow to lead the Racing and Wagering Committee.
- Marianne Buttenschon succeeds Woerner as chair of the Small Business Committee.
- Ron Kim He will succeed the retired Daniel O’Donnell as President of Tourism.
- Rebecca Seawright will take Kim’s place as chairman of the Aging Committee.
- Angelo Santa Barbara will succeed Seawright on the People with Disabilities Committee.
- Bobby Carroll He will become president of Libraries and Educational Technology, replacing Santabarbara.
- Pamela Cazador succeeds Jeff Aubry as speaker pro tempore.
- Clyde Vanel will replace Hunter as chairman of the Banking Committee.
- jonathan jacobson will replace Vanel in Supervision, Analysis and Investigations.
- Ed Brownstein will become president of Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, replacing the retired Ken Zebrowski.
- Pat Burke will assume the position of Committee of Cities, succeeding Braunstein.
- Jo Anne Simon will become president of Mental Health, following the retirement of Aileen Gunther.
- Karen Mc Mahon He will take Simon’s place in Ethics and Guidance.
- Billy Jones He will replace the retired Fred Thiele in Local Government.
- Steve Stern He will succeed retiring Kimberly Jean-Pierre in Veterans Affairs.
- Alicia Hyndman will become president of Higher Education, after the previous president, Pat Fahy, was elected to the Senate.
the senate
- Jamaal Bailey will assume leadership of the Insurance Committee from retiree Neil Breslin
- Zellnor Myrie will replace Bailey on the Codes Committee
- Kristen Gonzalez He will replace Myrie on the Elections Committee and will remain chair of the Internet and Technology Committee.
- raquel mayo will lead the Consumer Protection Committee, which was vacated by Kevin Thomas.
- Freshman Christopher Ryan He will succeed May as chair of Cities II, a recently added committee that deals with cities north of the Bronx.
- Pat Fahy, freshman will chair Disabilities, previously run by John Mannion.
- Siela Bynoe, freshman will direct Libraries, which had been chaired by Iwen Chu.
THE WINNING: Republican leaders in the North Country House seat being vacated by Rep. Elise Stefanik will narrow the field of potential candidates by the end of the weekend, state party spokesman David Laska said.
As Playbook reported this morning, the sprawling district’s Republican county chairs met via Zoom with a dozen potential nominees. Republican officials hope to narrow that field from about 12 people to fewer than 10. Those preferred candidates will then move on to another round of vetting by Republican leaders.
For the past two months he has been running to replace Stefanik, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as United Nations ambassador. A Republican candidate is expected to be widely favored in a special election, likely scheduled for mid-April, given the party’s registration advantage in a largely rural seat. — Nick Reisman
— SALT SLOWDOWN: Members of New York’s Republican delegation, who once promised a full repeal of the limit on state and local tax deductions, are now tempering expectations by saying that a full repeal is unlikely. (NY1)
— THE WHEELS OF THE TRAIN TURN AND TURN… AMAZINGLY: There is a mysterious defect on the subway tracks of the lettered train lines that is causing the subway wheels to wear out faster than ever. (Daily news)
— NY HIGH COURT SUPPORTS TRUMP: The Court of Appeals denied a request to delay Trump’s sentencing in the “hush money” case. (Union of times)
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